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For someone who has only recently discovered Naples, it may be hard to imagine what it was like in 1976: Goodlette-Frank Road ended at Pine Ridge; Pelican Bay and everything in it, like Artis—Naples, The Ritz-Carlton and more, didn’t exist; and Fifth Avenue South, including its many eateries, was just a shell of its current self.
But Vin dePasquale saw the potential of a casual, open-air spot serving up great Southwest Florida seafood staples, and The Dock at Crayton Cove was born. He found the perfect location sitting on the edge of the Naples City Dock—in the early days, the restaurant staff practically just had to shout out the window which fresh catches they wanted.
Today, 40 years later, it has become a reliable spot to walk in for grouper or shrimp, with a tinge of the tropics and a panoramic view of Naples Bay.
To ring in the milestone that not many restaurants anywhere can ever brag they’ve reached, shortly after dinner service gets underway tonight (Feb. 12), dePasquale will offer a toast to reflect on the years that have passed and what lies ahead—and all diners present will join him with glasses of complimentary champagne and slices of birthday cake.
Casual, spirited, unpretentious. It’s what The Dock has become synonymous with for generations of Neapolitans.
To plan a visit:
The Dock at Crayton Cove
845 12th Ave. S., Naples
(239) 263-9940